It had me at hello “or selamat datang!”
Alila Ubud is nothing short of breath taking, jaw dropping, superbly stunning…and all those words that people used to describe AMAZING.

To be honest, I’m not much of a luxury stay person…if anything my boyfriend and I enjoy the roughing out style of travelling. But having had long days at work and endless supply of stress the only thing I was looking forward to was a nice relaxing holiday of nothing-ness. So, as somewhat of a surprise I booked us a stay, complete with a couple’s spa treatment for a night of absolute bliss at Alila Ubud! We were not short changed, not even by a cent.

Just stepping out of the cab and onto the resort ground, you feel a sense of weightlessness. It’s as though the air itself contains some kind of fairy dust that magically dissipates all signs of stress. After “ooo-ing” and “aaahh-ing” at the breath taking scenery my boyfriend turns to throw me a dare (what I now like to call The Ultimate Alila Dare). His very words… “I dare you to be stressed out here!” As I sipped on my welcome drink; Alila Fresh (a must try!) I knew this was one dare I didn’t mind losing.

Nestled amongst the green of rainforests, Alila Ubud feels like an extension of its surrounding rather than the usual plot of luxury that milks its host. In fact they boast green awards but truly the award is in the effort and experience of being right there and feeling one with nature which barely holds a candle those shiny plaque thingamajigs.

The best part about the whole experience can be summed up in yet another witty line my boyfriend came up with as he gushed over our room (what can I say, he was on a roll). “They really take relaxing seriously, so you don’t have to!” Be it from the refreshing drinks that pop up next to your deck chair and stealthily disappears once you’re done with them, or the hushed yet cheerful way all the staff get around. It’s almost like their one goal is to make you feel like you’re the only guest and they are there to make you as relaxed as humanly possible.

We stayed in the deluxe room that faced the gorgeous infinity pool. The room is designed to be your own personal nook and they fill it with everything you’ll need and more! Plus they don’t skimp on anything; from the rich shower foam to the long outdoor bath (my boyfriend’s 6’ 4” and he can totally stretch out!), iPod and speaker dock and little espresso press machine it was like we were at home and paradise all at the same time.

Just when we taught we couldn’t possibly be pampered anymore…three magical words came knocking-SPA time! We opted for a relaxing couple’s spa treatment. The cool thing about the treatment is you get to customise your massage even. We’re not talking just choosing the kind of treatment… you get to choose the oil/rubs you prefer even. It’s in these small details that you know they’re really all about giving you the best for you, and no one can ask for more!

The outdoor style spa area was absolutely divine. The massage itself has got to be the best I’ve ever had! Together with the water feature, the soothing rub down and the completely serene atmosphere I was so relaxed I had to stop myself from snoring away!

I think sometimes with the hustle of life, we literally forget how to take a full breath and soak in our surroundings. If anything that has got to be my greatest take away from Alila Ubud. At the end of the day it wasn’t about having a luxury stay or being able to splurge, it was all about being so looked after that your only job finally is to take a deep breath, sit back and relax.

So I put the same challenge out there to anyone who dares…I dare you to be stressed in Alila Ubud. I can say with absolute glee that I lost and you will too!

Dewi "Dee" Lestari Simangunsong (born in Bandung, West Java on 20 January 1976) is an Indonesian singer-songwriter, and writer with her famous best-seller, the Supernova series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewi_Lestari

Michael heads up Bullseye Indonesia, a digital agency serving multinational clients across Southeast Asia, runs a software development business called RAN ONE, and is the CEO of the European Distribution Agent for RAN ONE.

Jonathan is a diving instructor and enthusiast for all things nature related, both on land and underwater. Born in Switzerland, he moved to Sri Lanka in his early teens where he undertook the majority of his schooling. This is where his love for Asian cultural history and natural history arose and stuck with him ever since. He studied Zoological Conservation at university in the UK and then moved to Indonesia where he now resides.

We, Peta (South African) and Ben (French), after twenty plus years living in the U.S., became empty nesters (4 sons) and began our GREEN GLOBAL TREK. Our Opening move was to relocate to Central America to kickstart a large scale bamboo reforestation project and bamboo housing construction business (from 2009 to 2013). Nicaragua provided a platform to discover Latin America. in 2013, we initiated the second leg of our GREEN GLOBAL TREK, by moving to Viet Nam. Now we are exploring South East Asia.

Advertising, post-graduate degree in Marketing from Universidad Complutense de Madrid and specialized in digital marketing. Already made exchanges in the US, Italy and lived in Madrid and Buenos Aires. Loves discovering places that she did not know existed, experience a place for a few seconds and be amazed by the simplest things.